Aston Villa blew a golden opportunity to go second in the Premier League this weekend, losing at home to good old friend Jack Grealish and Everton. With City losing the Manchester Derby at United, the chance was there for the Villans to become Arsenal’s currently closest competitor. However, it just didn’t happen, and well, such is football. And now Villa has a new injury concern, and it’s their team captain- John McGinn, who has a knee problem.
UEFA Europa League Matchday 7 FYIs
Aston Villa at Fenerbahce
Thurs. Jan. 22, 5:45pm, The Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey
UCL Standings, Form: Aston Villa 3rd, 15 pts WLWWW Fenerbahce 24th 6 pts, WWDDW
Aston Villa Team News
Ahead of the Europa League clash on Thursday night, at Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce, we’ll now get you squared away on McGinn, as well as the rest of the team news.
“Of course, when some players are getting injured, it is not good,” Villa manager Unai Emery said on Sunday.
“It is football, and we have to accept it. I don’t know [the details], it’s his knee.”
So it’s too early to put a timeline on the Scottish midfielder ight now, but don’t expect McGinn to play in midweek. Emery also said that an update on Boubacar Kamara (also a knee) is coming soon:
“I think this week we will know something more about Kamara. At the moment, he is out.”
Ok, so we can call that an update to about a potential forthcoming update.
Also, Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho, who would actually get major minutes in a match like this, is battling a virus of some sort, so he’s doubtful to feature here.
Otherwise the Villa injury situation remains the same, with Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley still out.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.